The Sermon on the Mount (13): The Biblical Teaching on Divorce
The Sermon on the Mount presents six antitheses where Jesus contrasts traditional interpretations of the Law with His deeper intent: “You have heard it said, but I say to you.” He begins with murder and anger, showing that sin is rooted not only in outward actions but also in thoughts and words. James 1 explains that temptation arises from within and leads to sinful actions (James 1:13–15). The Sermon thus reveals God’s righteousness, which cannot be attained apart from His grace.
After addressing adultery, Jesus turns to divorce, which often intertwines with marital unfaithfulness. This teaching is difficult and often painful, yet it must be faced. Divorce causes deep wounds, and few sorrows are as heavy as the collapse of a marriage meant for love and intimacy. Our culture reflects this tragedy, with nearly half of marriages ending in divorce—far more than in earlier generations.
Debate about divorce is not new. Even in Jesus’ day, religious leaders argued over Moses’ allowance in Deuteronomy 24:1–4. The restrictive school permitted divorce only for serious offenses, while the more permissive view allowed it for almost any cause. Against this backdrop, Jesus’ teaching is radical. He insists that God’s design has always been one man and one woman united in covenant, not subject to casual dissolution.
Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:31–32 link adultery and divorce: “Everyone who divorces his wife, except for unchastity, makes her commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.” When pressed further in Matthew 19, He pointed back to creation itself: “From the beginning, God made them male and female … the two shall become one flesh. What God has joined together, let no man separate.” The Pharisees sought loopholes and grounds for divorce; Jesus shifted the focus to God’s intent for permanence, unity, and exclusivity.
The disciples, startled by His words, exclaimed, “If this is the case, it is better not to marry.” Jesus acknowledged that celibacy is a calling for some, but for most, marriage is a covenant that requires endurance, sacrifice, and love empowered by the Spirit. His teaching emphasizes not escape clauses but covenantal faithfulness.
Polygamy in the Old Testament reflects a similar concession to human hardness of heart. While not expressly forbidden, it was never God’s ideal and consistently led to strife, jealousy, and division in families. Figures like Jacob, David, and Solomon illustrate its disastrous effects. By the post-exilic period, polygamy had faded from Jewish practice, underscoring God’s enduring design for monogamy.
From Jesus’ teaching, three truths emerge. First, the Pharisees sought ways out of marriage; Jesus pointed to God’s intention for permanence. Second, Moses’ allowance was not a command but a concession to human weakness. Third, divorce was treated lightly by some, but Jesus declared remarriage after divorce to be adultery—except in cases of porneia, a broad term for sexual immorality. Even then, His emphasis was on reconciliation and the values of the kingdom: humility, meekness, purity, and righteousness.
Marriage, then, is both a gift and a means of growth. Love is not merely emotional but rooted in the Spirit’s power to choose what is best for the other. Couples can focus on faults, which breeds discord, or choose to see what is good, fostering grace. Relationships require continual effort; like physical systems subject to entropy, marriages decline if neglected. Yet when nurtured, they become tools of soul formation, shaping us into Christlike love.
Still, we must face the reality of brokenness. Divorce, though always less than God’s ideal, is not beyond His forgiveness. God redeems and restores, even when reconciliation fails. Divorce does not disqualify believers from future service. The biblical phrase “husband of one wife” literally means “a one-woman man.” If a remarried man demonstrates lasting fidelity, he may serve in leadership. God does not cast away His children for past sin but delights to restore them.
The message is clear: divorce grieves God’s heart but is not the unpardonable sin. He calls us to confess honestly, receive His forgiveness, and trust His grace to transform failures into testimonies of mercy. In every circumstance, His design is for covenantal faithfulness, and His grace empowers us to live in that calling.
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Questions for Reflection
- How does Jesus’ teaching shift our focus from finding grounds for divorce to understanding God’s design for marriage?
- In what ways can marriage serve as a tool for spiritual growth and soul formation, even in seasons of difficulty?
- How should believers balance upholding God’s ideal for marriage while extending grace and forgiveness to those who have experienced divorce?
- What practical steps can we take to nurture covenantal faithfulness and guard against neglect in our relationships?
